Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
From time to time, I come across an ancient posts that contains much needed wisdom. Here's one of them worth reading and printing out for anyone not going through a formal education in the science and art of photography.
Bart,
I commend you for this wisdom. I note that you don't mention getting a DSLR with a set of pristine primes or a Leica with a 35mm lens or other camera wisdom. I am going to guess that you might believe that it's the lit vision of the matter that makes the photograph well before the shutter is pressed. Apart from the like of file size, DOF, character, color and contrast, the picture is already 50-90% pretty well made in the mind before looking through the viewfinder to confirm the angle and exclude everything else.
Unfortunately, in the USA, anyone can call themselves a photographer! No schooling or competency is demanded! This can prove to be a great disservice to both the seller who's likely, as not, short-changed himself in bypassing the needed training and the ignorant buyer who's often getting an inferior image! Because training is around use of the camera features and not around use of light, experience becomes "gear-centric". In fact, most artistic work can be done with a simple digicam or film camera!
So it's worth repeating:
"lighting, composition, and timing (in that order) makes the image, the equipment facilitates". To understand the implications of lighting, composition, and timing, education is inevitable (unless one is naturally talented)" Bart van Der wolfe
So, this should propel everyone, without exception to read over and over "Science of Light & Magic" Recommended by Bart and seconded by yours truly!
Any other must have books?
Asher
Bart,
I commend you for this wisdom. I note that you don't mention getting a DSLR with a set of pristine primes or a Leica with a 35mm lens or other camera wisdom. I am going to guess that you might believe that it's the lit vision of the matter that makes the photograph well before the shutter is pressed. Apart from the like of file size, DOF, character, color and contrast, the picture is already 50-90% pretty well made in the mind before looking through the viewfinder to confirm the angle and exclude everything else.
Unfortunately, in the USA, anyone can call themselves a photographer! No schooling or competency is demanded! This can prove to be a great disservice to both the seller who's likely, as not, short-changed himself in bypassing the needed training and the ignorant buyer who's often getting an inferior image! Because training is around use of the camera features and not around use of light, experience becomes "gear-centric". In fact, most artistic work can be done with a simple digicam or film camera!
So it's worth repeating:
"lighting, composition, and timing (in that order) makes the image, the equipment facilitates". To understand the implications of lighting, composition, and timing, education is inevitable (unless one is naturally talented)" Bart van Der wolfe
So, this should propel everyone, without exception to read over and over "Science of Light & Magic" Recommended by Bart and seconded by yours truly!
Any other must have books?
Asher
